The Body Sense Natural Diet

The Body Sense Natural Diet

Last week I started this diet . It begins with three days of very limited carbs and then you start adding complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, legumes, whole grain breads.

The book itself, written by Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe contains a lot of information. By the time I had finished reading it (the first time), I was convinced that my liver and adrenal glands were failing- thus keeping me fat. In fact I ran out and purchased some of Ms Vanderhaghe’s Adrenal support supplements, which I took religiously but nothing about my health seemed to improve at that time. Of coarse it didn’t help that I was eating and drinking too much of the wrong foods.

My main criticism about the book is that it seems poorly laid out and edited. There is overlapping and conflicting information. For instance on page 30 under Starches, Breads Crackers and Chips Ms Vanderhaege states that unsweetened, protein enriched, whole-grained rye and pumpernickel breads are only allowed after two weeks on the diet.
On her 42 day diet plan however she has pumpernickel bread on day #4!! I’m a stickler for detail and in this case it is important.

If you read this book and only followed half of the recommended supplements and vitamins you’d probably be in the poor house. Plus I’m not sure about combining all of this stuff. In fact in one section of the book Lorna does say that you should pick and choose your supplements- a multivitamin with minerals and essential fatty acids is probably enough. If you want to lose weight -her clients swear by thermogenics(too many to list- CLA is one of them) and 5-HTP which is a nutrient helps with cravings.

Ms Vanderhaege has been researching and writing on the subject of nutrition and medicine for many years. Those that read Alive magazine will recognize her name as she writes for them frequently and was an associate editor. She does know a lot about nutrition and despite the fact that the book is choppy-there is still a lot of good information. The question is - Is the protein focused diet better for losing weight?

I am supposed to be testing this diet and I did follow it for ten days but then my father came for a planned visit for which meals were a big focus. There was another dinner out at Brio. There was an early Easter dinner of lobster risotto, rib-eye steak, tiramisu cake and espresso ice-cream. Chef Adam was at it again the next evening - serving up a Gumbo that had us all weeping. By the time dad left Adam and I were fist-fighting over the last piece of tiramisu cake .Amazing how addictive that white substance- sugar - can be.

I really should have started this diet at a time when I knew there would be no upcoming events that would call for alcohol or desserts. I just can’t have beautiful meal without at least one good glass of wine and a nice desert- I don’t want to!

So the end of the week was a write off but I still did lose weight.Ten days is not nearly long enough to test a diet of this nature. Since we are heading down to Oregon wine country for next weekend I am hesitant to continue with a strict protein focus. My main aim is to keep eating under control during the week and try not to go bonkers once we hit the road.



28 lbs - 12 weeks

Ketosis

When I was in grade eleven,I went on the Dr.Atkins diet and lost a great deal of weight in a short period of time. I was so proud to squeeze myself into a pair of Howick jeans, and received lots of compliments, even from my teachers. I probably only wore the Howicks once or twice before I became reacquainted with Peanut-Butter Cups. The water weight that I had lost came swiftly back on - by graduation I was 260 lbs.

So why would I want to try it again? Well, I read a book by Lorna Vanderhaeghe. The Body Sense Natural Diet is sort of high protein but certainly different than Dr. Atkins.

The focus of Dr. Atkins was that you can eat all of the meat, eggs, cheese that you want as long as you cut out the carbohydrates. Eggs, bacon, fatty steaks- no problem- as long as you limit yourself to a couple of small salads and nothing else as a form of carb to accompany your massive rib-eye.

Ms Vanderhaeghe is a local (Whiterock) wellness pioneer who specializes in alternative means to hormone replacement pharmaceuticals. She has her own talk show and line of vitamins. Her diet is based on organic whole foods- she believes that eating several proteins based meals keeps your fat -burning engienes running all day long. We’re not talking about big meals- sensible sized portions of lean, organic meats, eggs, fish-lots of opportunity for whey-soy protein shakes.

I was surprised to see a health-food chick advocating the much maligned Ketosis.Her suggestion is that you jump-start your fat burning engines by doing three full days of ketosis and then you can slowly add back in some complex, low-glycemic carbohydrates.

Three days, what the hell- I had to try, after all- I’ve owned this book for a year and not really had the gumption to do it. Until now!!

So, I cooked up a big salmon, hauled a free-range hen out of the freezer and happily bought some extra-old cheddar( first cheese purchase since January). Veggies are allowed- just not fruits or grains.

If you do try this diet- prepare to be constipated!! Within a day the psyillum husks were weeded out of herbal cupboard. Then there was the little unexplained bout of diarrhea. I know, I know- too much information- but this is a blog where I explore different types of diets and I feel that I must give readers all the details of my research. Anyway lets just say that the ole system slows down- a lot . Also- I got hungrier, faster. I timed myself one day after eating a fairly big lunch of some salmon and a big coleslaw- I had a hunger pang 90 minutes later!! You are supposed to eat every three to four hours- but it seems like you’re always hungry and sometimes you just don’t feel like another hunk of flesh.

The cheese was also a focal point- I really like cheese and it was hard to just have a 2 inch piece. It soon became an obsession, which led to the need for more psyillium husks.

I lasted the three days of ketosis- although I’m not sure whether I actually achieved ketosis as I was too cheap to purchase any test-strips.

Surprisingly i lost another 2 lbs but these were off before I started my attempt at Ketosis.

25lbs down

next-week I want to talk more about the Body Sense Diet.

X- Weighed

Last month I went to an open casting call for the television show X-Weighted. This one hour program follows the progress of someone who wants to lose in-between 30-60 lbs in six months. A typical episode goes like this: You are introduced to the candidate and they give you a brief history of themselves. They meet up with the show’s personal trainer who weighs, measures and puts them through a fitness test. Sometimes he comes to your house and finds bad things in your fridge or takes you shopping and scolds you when you try to purchase dip. There is an self-esteem expert who analysis's your wardrobe and other services- trainers, nutritionists, shrinks, doctors. Every show is different .

So I got a call from the casting agent and I made the first cut! That means that I had to go to another interview, this time with higher-ups involved with the show. I was asked to bring along my fiance and a few friends who might also be on camera as part of my weight-loss journey. First I was interviewed - this time on camera. Then the others were brought in and we were all interviewed. It was fun but kind of weird. Adam thought that there was a “fake movie-business feel" to it all. Anyway who knows what happens from here- they now have to narrow it down to three cities from four. Casting calls were done in Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary where the series is produced. If they film in Victoria I think that I have a good chance of being a further contender but at this point there will need to be several strong contenders from Victoria in order for Victoria to make the cut. You don’t get paid to do the series but you do get the services paid for. I’m not sure what the dollar limit of those services is. Stuff like that is not cheap. I will find out in early April if I make the next cut and to me it’s fine either way although right now I’m not really supposed to be trying to lose weight as they want big drops for the series. I can’t hold off until May, when the series begins, as I need to lose more weight now. I need to fit into my wedding dress besides I don’t need to be given a reason to go back to bad eating habits- what if I didn’t get on the show?

What I figure is that even if I did drop more weight I would still have at least sixty pounds to lose - realistically I could shed 100 lbs from my present weight and would still be overweight by most standards.

Well finally a drop in the scales- after a looooong time!! I’m not even sure how this happened as the eating has been very decadent since Thursday. The Golden Mile Cellars winemaker’s dinner at Cafe Brio was really good - the fry-stub thief being nowhere in sight. It was quite the protein-fest with scallops, roast duck breast, braised oxtail, roast strip loin and cheeses making up most of the five courses. The wines were delicious! The proprietor was sweet and humble- the nicest winemaker that we’ve met . There were definitely highlights. The 05 Chardonnay served with pancetta wrapped scallop with leek and root veg ragout. Also the 05 ’Black Arts’ Syrah with cheese course and spiced jam, served for desert! Wonderful!

Saturday night I came home after an Improv match and wolfed down three pieces of pizza !! Good god- I wasn’t even hungry- one hour earlier I had crab cakes ( they weren’t very big). Maybe time at the gym is finally paying off or it could be that I’m now on a routine of green tea in the mornings which is supposed to be a fat-fighter. Who the hell knows. I’m not complaining.

23 lbs down.

Correction on last week's entry- it was lunges not squats that I refused to do. I am doing the odd squat but it ain't pretty!

Whine

Whine

I am still not losing weight and I can no longer blame the americanos as I did cut back. I was watching a television program where a nutritionist tried to prove a point about wine consumption by having someone add a pile of sugar to a glass of wine. The intent was to show how much sugar one is consuming by drinking vino. I hung my head in shame whilst watching. Technically I not drinking as much wine as I used to. I know longer drink on most weekdays where as most dinners in the past used to be accompanied by a glass or two. Still perhaps I am still drinking too much wine so I decided to investigate! I looked back specifically on last week’s wine consumption.

Friday night there was an impromptu dinner at Sanuk- where Adam and I shared a bottle of Kettle Valley 2003 Syrah. Saturday we were invited over to friends’ for a dinner party where 4 bottles between 4 people were quickly drained. Sunday night Adam and I started jonesing for good wine-a 2002 St. Frances Cabernet Sauvignon promptly appeared from the cellar. It, just as promptly disappeared between us. I guess that means technically I drank at least two bottles of wine over the three days...hello sugar-city!! Poor liver!

Now I am feeling especially guilty as next week the wine festival happens in Victoria and it really is the best time to try out some good wines. We have reservations for a Golden Mile Cellars winemaker dinner at Cafe Brio. I know, I know- the menu just looked too good to resist, plus we wanted to try out some of these wines and we’re not going to the public tasting. Also the price was right, so Brio shall have another chance and I shall have to put a halt to the wine drinking after next weekend.

My body wants to lose by the way. I’m yo-yoing 2pounds every week- but the scale still zips back up after the weekend (coincidence)? I then do fruit mornings on Mon-Wed. The scale goes back down but then the weekend comes all too soon.

Brandon started me on my “legs” program this week. WOW! My body was hurting that night and the next few days were painful too. My glutes, hams- everything!! He attempted to have me do squats!! Too hard! I just am too big and afraid that I’ll blow my knees out. So we compromised and I’m doing stairs two at a time. What a workout!! Working out these bigger muscles- glutes, hams, make you feel instantly stronger. Perhaps I’ll attempt squats after I’ve taken off another 30 pounds- but at this rate that seems in the distant future!

week 9 - 20lbs down- holding.

Americanos

Americanos

The above picture is not an americano. It is a meal prepared by my sweetheart who cooks for me on the weekends. Oven baked wild sockeye with onion and green olive tapenade. Served on top of chipotle brown rice and kamut with stir-fried boc-choy! Very healthy and low in calories.Then why the hell am I not losing weight?

I’ll tell you why - it’s the americanos - they are the culprits. I love them. I love them with cream. I especially love an americano that has crema so dense that it appears that you don’t even need cream. When you look at the finished product and see a rich ooze bubbling forth- like golden brown sugar lava, rippling along the top of the cup. You gasp, thank your barista and then add cream. Coffee cream is the best because it has more fat and you don’t need as much -thus not cooling down the treasured beverage.

At first the Americanos were only on Saturdays. Then Sundays. Soon it became a thing where I would have one if I went to my chiropractor. Suddenly I developed neck problems that needed to be addressed three times a week. Then I started hitting the Tim Hortons despite their insane lineups. The last straw was when I was so desperate that I settled for a cup of Starbucks drip which tasted like shit and I drank it anyway. It’s too much cream for a lady that needs to shed some poundage. I suffered a caffeine withdrawal headache the other day because I only had a cup of tea. The americanos - they have to stop. Saturdays only!! Maybe the odd Sunday....

I went to the gym on my own and did my new workout. It went really well and our new local gym is super nice and new with lots of sophisticated stuff. The workouts that Brandon taught us for shoulders involves working with cables. At the Crystal Pool where we workout with him the cables are kind of old and clunky. At the Esquimalt Rec Center they are smooth and efficient. My secret for avoiding any kind of a gym scene is to go at either 10 am or 2 pm. Not all people have schedules that are that flexible - but if you do, that's the time to go.

End of 8th week.

20 lbs lost- no movement!

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

You know I promised a little spiel on the CLA- Conjugated Linoletic Acid - so here it is. Well actually - it’s really boring stuff to write down but lets just say it’s a fatty acid that apparently reduces the body’s ability to store fat. It also supposedly increases the body’s use of fat for energy.

CLA used to be obtained naturally in the meat and milk of grass fed cows. Because most cows are now grain-fed and all those antibiotics interfere with it’s production , CLA is now made from safflower or sunflower oil; (Some companies are bragging that their products are better as they only use Safflower which is the highest quality of the two). The high linoletic acid content of these oils is converted into CLA. Yippee!

Those smart Norwegians did a pile of studies a few years ago. Punch it into your internets and you’ll find it all. It must be good because all of the big vitamin companies and fat-fighters are branding their own forms of CLA. Why not ? Yet another supplement that will help people attack that fat and empty their wallets at the same time!!

After doing some research I saw that CLA is the wonder-supplement that will not only knock off the blubber but also enhances the immune system, maintains blood glucose and insulin levels and lowers cholesterol. Why wouldn’t you rush out to Capers and buy a case of the stuff.

Alas... the Wikipedia is not so optimistic. According to their data CLA is a trans fat- not a bad trans fat though. However, taking CLA may actually result in insulin resistance and give you diabetes. What the hell? I’m trying to change my lifestyle to avoid the big “D” and now I’m taking a supplement that might provoke it! Well, I’m not currently taking the CLA. I’ll finish the bottle at some time but not right now - hopefully it doesn’t end up at the back of the cupboard with the bottle of LEANS PLUS that expired in 2003 which I don’t have the heart to throw away because it was expensive.

20 lbs down

Candida Royale

I woke up to the sound of loud knocking at the front door. I could see the fellow’s truck parked outside “The Sour dough Factory” displayed on the panel. I opened the door cautiously. "Excuse me madam, we are short of culture at the factory and word is out that you have more than enough to spare.”

I chased him off the property and burst into tears. It was true I had a raging candida infection and after all of that clean living, I didn’t know why. Well it is simply explained. Take a cheap bag of horrid Valentines day chocolate candies and follow up with a glass of wine with dinner . who cares if it’s a special occasion- candida loves special occasions! I considered doing a candida cleanse - but truly that is such a bland, boring cleanse that I decided to suffer instead.

The new gym routine is working out well. I did it again with Brandon and now feel that I have the confidence to do it on my own. The concentration is on shoulders and back. With all of the literature I’ve been reading about dieting and the body I do know that if one wants to lose weight one has to build muscle - especially the older one gets. It is boring but it works.

We had the last Aquarian birthday for my ex - Carl. I fixed Korean-style short ribs with white rice and kim chi. There was also a rich brownie that turned out to be more like fudge. I had not planned on eating any white rice or drinking as the boys were exploring imported beers
and I didn’t feel like having beer. My noble plans for shunning excess carbs were soon destroyed as Carl discovered that the rice covered in sauce from the ribs was too good to be true. Sure enough the combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin ,ginger and beef drippings topped on rice instigated a feeding frenzy. Adam reminded me that we had two thirds of a bottle of shiraz kicking around. I grabbed it with the eagerness of a weaning toddler. It too was soon gone. That night I had reflux for the first time in weeks- wonder why?

20 lbs down.